Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
02~99460
:
EXTERIOR DOOR LOCK COVER
BACKGROUND OF THE lNV~N~l~lON
Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to
protective covering devices and more specifically it relates
to an exterior door lock cover.
--1--
0 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
Description of the Prior Art
Numerous protective covering devices have been
provided in prior art. For example, U.S. patents numbered
Des. 192,150 to Amdur et al.; 3,174,788 to Williams;
3,199,121 to Greto and 4,869,305 to Jones all are
illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be
suitable for the particular purpose to which they address,
they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present
invention as heretofore described.
--2--
0 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
AMDUR, C~ARTFS J.
WEINSTEIN, EDWARD J.
FT.~XTRT.~ DOOR KNOB COVER
U.S. Patent Number Des. 192,150
FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a flexible door
knob cover showing the new design.
FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof.
FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation thereof.
FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view thereof taken
through section lines 4-4 in Figure 1.
The broken line portion is shown fore illustrative
purposes only.
-3-
- O 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
WILLIAMS, MARX H.
DOOR XNOB COVER
U.S. Patent Number 3,174,788
A safety door knob cover comprising in
combination a pair of hollow, substantially semi-
cylindrical elements. Each of the elements being
semi-spheriodal at one end and each having a
generally flat opposite end wall of semicircular
configuration for loosely enveloping a knob of a
door. Hinge means hingeably connecting one
cylindrical side of each of the elements
together. A latch means on the opposite
cylindrical side is for releasably securing the
opposite side of the elements together. Each of
the flat, semicircular end walls defining a
thickened panel to give a degree of rigidity for
- 02~ 99 460
holding the shape of the cover around a door knob
handle. A semicircular opening in each
semicircular end wall defining together a
circular opening for receiving a shaft of a door
knob therethrough. The hollow, semi-cylindrical
elements comprising compressible pads defining an
enlarged interior housing freely receiving a door
knob therewithin. The hinge means comprising a
flexible strip carried by one side of the
elements yieldably urging the elements towards a
closed position about a door knob. The latch
means comprising a radially outwardly extending
arcuate housing on each element. The housing of
each element together cont~;n;ng a latch
mechanism for releasably securing the opposite
sides of the elements. Each element having a
radially outwardly extending stem for releasing
the mechanism.
-- 02~ 99 460
GRETO, JOSEPH
REMOVABLE PROTECTIVE COVER FOR WATER FIXTURES
U.S. Patent Number 3,199,121
A removable protective cover for enclosing a
plurality of water fixtures projecting from a wall over an
adjacent bathtub, comprising a closure having connected
front, side and top portions and a cushioned exterior. A
transverse support is adjustably mounted upon and within the
closure. The transverse support has a plurality of slotted
openings spaced apart to engage the control stems of the
fixtures, thereby supporting the cover in spaced relation
over and about the handle portions of the fixtures and
further supporting the closure abutting against the wall.
- 0 2 1 99 4 60
JONES, MARK T.
DOORKNOB ANTI-ROTATION DEVICE
U.S. Patent Number 4,869,305
A doorknob cover that defeats facile rotation of a
doorknob. Two layers of cloth or other low friction material
are placed in juxtaposition with one another and joined at
their respective outermost peripheral edges. A second
attachment is made between the materials just radially
inwardly of the outermost peripheral edge to form a toroidal
cavity to receive a drawstring. The device is placed over a
doorknob and the opposite ends of the drawstrings are tied
together tightly, so that the device cannot be removed from
the doorknob unless the knot is first untied. Young children
are unable to rotate a doorknob covered by the device due to
the double layer of cloth and the low frictional engagement
between the inner piece of cloth and the doorknob.
--7--
0 2 ~ 9 9 ~ 6 0
-
SUMMARY OF THE lNV~NllON
A primary object of the present invention is to
provide an exterior door lock cover that will overcome the
shortcomings of the prior art devices.
Another object is to provide an exterior door lock
cover with a lift tab on its face, to access a keyhole in an
exterior doorknob lock or an exterior dead bolt lock, without
having to completely remove the cover therefrom.
An additional object is to provide an exterior door
lock cover in which the lift tab will automatically go back
over the keyhole when the key is withdrawn from the lock, so
as to stop the accumulation of contaminants that will build
up and clog the lock mechanism within the keyhole.
O 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
A further object is to provide an exterior door
lock cover that is simple and easy to use.
A still further object is to provide an exterior
door lock cover that is economical in cost to manufacture.
Further objects of the invention will appear as the
description proceeds.
To the accomplishment of the above and related
objects, this invention may be embodied in the form
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being
called to the fact, however, that the drawings are
illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the
specific construction illustrated and described within the
scope of the appended claims.
0 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Q THE DRAWING FIGURES
Various other objects, features and attendant
advantages of the present invention will become more fully
appreciated as the same becomes better understood when
considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference characters designate the same or similar
parts throughout the several views, and wherein;
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a beach front
house with the prior art being an exterior door knob with
lock installed on the exterior door.
FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the
prior art as indicated by arrow 2 in Figure 1, showing an
accumulation of contaminants within the keyhole.
--10--
021 99 460
FIGURE 3 is a side view taken in the direction of
arrow 3 in Figure 2 with parts of the door knob broken away
to see the contaminants within the keyhole.
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a first
embo~ nt of the instant invention with parts broken away
and in section on an exterior door knob with lock.
FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a second
embodiment of the instant invention on a dead bolt lock.
FIGURE 6 is a side view taken in the direction of
arrow 6 in Figure 5 with parts broken away and in section
showing a key ready to be inserted into the dead bolt lock.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding
features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
- ' O 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
DE~ATT.~D DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which
similar reference characters denote similar elements
throuqhout the several views, Figures 1 through 3 illustrate
the prior art being just an exterior exposed lock member 10
with a keyhole 12. The lock member 10 is a doorknob 14
mounted onto an exterior door 16 of a beach front house 18
cont~ in~nts 20, such as sand, salt spray, dirt, dust,
freezing precipitation and the like is shown built up within
the keyhole 12 in Figures 2 and 3, thereby making the lock
member 10 inoperable.
The instant invention is shown in Figures 4 through
6 and consists of an exterior door lock cover 22 comprising a
flexible sleeve 24 which fits over the exterior exposed lock
member 10 having the keyhole 12 on an exterior door 16. The
flexible sleeve 24 will stop any contaminants 20 from
-12-
0 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
entering the keyhole 12 in the lock member 10 which can
accumulate and clog the lock member 10 and prevent the proper
insertion of a key 26 into the keyhole 12 for operating the
lock member 10.
The sleeve 24, as best seen in Figures 4 and 6,
includes a central layer of closed-cell neoprene 28. A first
layer of nylon jersey material 30 is laminated onto an inner
surface of the central layer of closed-cell neoprene 28. A
second layer of nylon jersey material 32 is laminated onto an
outer surface of the central layer of closed-cell neoprene
28, so that the sleeve 24 will have a great elastic four-way
stretch.
The sleeve 24 contains a lift flap 34 that is
cutout and hinged along a top edge 36 to a front face 38
thereof. When the lift flap 34 is raised it will allow the
key 26 easy access to the keyhole 12 in the lock member 10.
When the key 26 is removed from the keyhole 12 the lift flap
-13-
6 0
34 will automatically drop back over the keyhole 12 to cover
it. The lift flap 34 also includes a pull tab 40 at a bottom
edge, that can be gripped by a person to assist in raising
the lift flap 34 up to expose the keyhole 12 in the lock
member 10.
The sleeve 24 can be made with glued and taped
seams which are flat seams that are waterproof. The neoprene
central layer 28 is butted together and glued. The seams of
the first layer of nylon jersey material 30 and the seams of
the second layer of nylon jersey material 32 are then covered
with heat applied tape that seals. The sleeve 24 can be made
with glued and blind stitched seams which are seams that are
butted together and glued then blind stitched for added
strength, making the seams flat and very strong. The sleeve
24 can also be made with flat lock seams which are not glued
but are made with a four-needle stitch that is flat and
extremely strong.
02 ~ 99 4 60
As shown in Figure 4, the flexible sleeve 24 is
shaped to fit over the exterior exposed lock member 10 in
which the lock member 10 is the exterior doorknob 14 with a
built-in lock cylinder 42. In Figures 5 and 6, the flexible
sleeve 24 also ~ be shaped to fit over the exterior exposed
lock member 10, in which the lock member 10 is an exterior
dead bolt lock 44 with a built-in lock cylinder 46. The
flexible sleeve 24 in Figures 5 and 6 includes double sided
pressure sensitive tape 48 mounted on an inner surface
thereof, ~ that the sleeve 24 will become better secured to
the dead bolt lock 44.
~ 2 ~ 9 9 4 6 0
OPERATION OF THE lNV~ lON
To use the exterior door lock cover 22 as shown in
Figure 4, the following steps should be taken:
1. Place the flexible sleeve 24 over the exterior
doorknob 14, so that the lift flap 34 is in
front of the keyhole 12.
2. Raise up the lift flap 34 by gripping the pull
tab 40.
3. Insert the key 26 into the clean keyhole 12 to
operate the lock cylinder 42.
-16-
0 2 1 9 9 4 6 0
4. Remove the key 26 from the keyhole 12, 50 that
the lift flap 34 will automatically cover the
keyhole 12 again.
To use the exterior door lock cover 22 as shown in
Figures 5 and 6, the following steps should be taken:
1. Place the flexible sleeve 24 with the double
sided pressure sensitive tape 48 over the
exterior dead bolt lock 44, so that the lift
flap 34 is in front of the keyhole 12.
2. Raise up the lift flap 34 by gripping the pull
tab 40.
3. Insert the key 26 into the clean keyhole 12 to
operate the lock cylinder 46.
O 2 1 9 9 4 6 0
4. Remove the key 26 from the keyhole 12, so that
the lift flap will automatically cover the
keyhole 12 again.
-18-
Q 2 1 9 9 4 6 0
It will be understood that each of the elements
described above, or two or more toge~her may also find a
useful application in other types of methods differing from
the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have
been shown and described are pointed out in the annexed
claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details
above, since it will be understood that various omissions,
modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and
details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be
made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way
from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so
fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others
can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for
various applications without omitting features that, from the
standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential
characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this
invention.
19
